Cartridge



T. YATES.

(No Model.)

CARTRIDGE.

Patented Dec. 9, 1884.

Fig-1- TNEIEEEE' THEODORE YATES, OF MILIVAUKEE, \VISCONSIN.

CARTRIDGE.

QPECIPICATIGN forming part of Letters Patent No. 308,9Ql, dated December 9, 1884.

(No model.)

1'0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Belt known that I, THEODORE Yarns, of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of \Visconsin, haveinvented certain Improvements in Cartridges for Cannon, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to cartridge-cases for ordnance, the novel features of which are here inafter fully set forth.

Figure l is a longitudinal central section, showing the parts ready for charging the gun, and Fig. 2 is a similar View, showing the parts as they appear after the gun has been fired.

The object of my present invention is to provide a cartridge-case adapted for use in breechloading cannon, it being more especially designed for use in connection with the gun on which a patent was granted to me under date of June 28, 1881, No. 243,421, though it may be used in connection with other styles of guns also.

The special objects of the invention are to so construct the case which is to contain the charge of powder that it can be filled at the arsenal, or any suitable place, and keep its form while being transported, protect the powder from the effects of wet and moisture, and provide it with a head or cap at its front end which shall. serve as a gas-check in rear of the projectile when the charge is exploded.

It further consists in so constructing the case and its head or breech closer, that they can be handled separately, and yet be united by the explosion in such manner that the powder-case may be withdrawn by the withdrawal of the head, and so as to be fired by the explosion of a small ball-cartridge seated in an aperture in the head, and also to protect the walls of the gun by the interposition of an air-cushion between the case and the walls of the chamber of the gun. To accomplish these results I provide a breech-closer or plug, A, of a proper size to close the rear end of the cham ber of the gun, its front end being made concave, as shown clearly in Fig. 1, its front walls being extended, as shown, and made sufficiently thin at their front edge to allow of expansion, and thus form a tight joint on the well-known principle of the ordinary metallic cartridge, though, as will be hereinafter seen, the powder-case will aid to form a tight joint at the time of explosion. This breech-closer A, which for convenience I term the cartridge-head, has a screw-thread, b, or any equivalent recesses or projections formed on its interior near or at its front end, as shown in Fig. 1, the object of which will be hereinafter explained. It is also provided with a projecting rim or flange, (Z, to fit a corresponding recess in the rear end of the gun, to prevent it from being shoved too far in, and aid in its extraction. At its center it is provided with a hole, 7:, of proper size to receive a small pistol-cartridge for firing the charge, as shown in Fig. 1.

The powder-case B, I make of tin, copper, or any suitable sheet metal of the size required for the charge. The rear end of this case B, I make spherical, or of a form to fit the concavity in the front end of the head A, and of such a size that it will easily fit therein, and I provide the body of the case B with a series of corrugations, Z, more or less in num her, for the purpose of stiffening it and enabling it to retain its form .or shape while being handled and transported, and which also leave air-spaces between it and the walls of the gun, thereby forming an air-cushion, which serves to protect the gun from the sudden shock caused by the explosion of the charge.

While I have shown the corrugations Zas being annular, or passing around the case at right angles to its length, it is obvious that they may be arranged spirally or diagonally in either or both directions, or that they may 8 5 be formed both circumfcrentially and longitudinally, and that they may be made to occupy any proportion of the surface desired. At its front end this case B is closed with a cap, G, which is soldered to the body, 9

as represented in Fig. 1. It is provided with a central opening for inserting the powder, which opening is closed by a screw-cap, e, as represented in Fig. 1, the cap 0 being made dishing or concave externally, so that when secured internally, so that it may be flattened down by the pressure of the gas when the charge is exploded, and thus close the opening formed by the bullet of the cartridge 0, which will puncture the rear end of the case at its center when fired.

Vithin the case B, at its front end, I arrange a disk, D, of felt or similar material to IO tween them.

The charge will usually be composed of grains of powder too large to enter the cone f, so that when-the charge is exploded there will be little or no pressure by the formation of gas within the cone, while the pressure upon its exterior will be sufficient to force the walls of the cone inward and cause it to close the perforation made by the penetration of the pistol-ball, which of course will be very small, only sufficient to perforate the rear end of case Bto admit the flash from cartridge 0 to ignite the powder. This cone f may be made of any desired size, and, if desired,'it maybe prolonged in the form of a tube, so as to con- 2 5 duct the flame to the center, or even to the front end of the charge, and thus ignite it at either of those points first. If found desirable in practice, it may be so enlarged as to form an air-chamber, and thus be made to furo nish an additional supply of oxygen to render the combustion of the powder more perfect. Various modifications may be made in this particular without at all affecting the main features of the invention. These cases 5 B, being fire and water proof, may be filled at the powder-factory or any powderdepot, and be transported and stored for any length of time wherever wanted, the cases B thus in effect taking the place of and dispensing with 40 the ordinary package used for transporting the powder. \Vhile of course these cartridges or cases may be used with any style of projectile, it is my intention to use a projectile which does not have the usual expanding 5 sabot, and hence the provision for making the cap 0 of thecase B so that it will act as a gas-check in rear of the projectile.

The operation of my device is as follows: The projectile having been first placed in the gun the case B, properly charged, has its rear endinserted in the head A, and the cartridge is then shoved into the chamber of the gun. The igniting-cartridge c is inserted in the hole h and the breech of the gun being closed the 5 charge is fired by igniting the small cartridge c, which will ordinarily be done by a firing-pin located in the breech closing or locking devices, according to the style of gun used. Vv hen the small cartridge 0 is fired, its

ball will be driven forward, and will puncture or perforate the rear end fof the case B when the flame from the cartridge 0 will ignite the powder in case B, thus exploding the charge. This will separate the cape fromthe body of the case when the gas, acting against its rear face, will force its flange out all around against the sides of the chamber and thus form a gas-tight joint in rear of the projectile,which will thus receive the whole force of the powder; and inasmuch as the projectile is designed to fit the bore of the gun and not to have any expanding sabot to act as a wedge, thereby tending to burst the gun and creating great friction, the result will be increased velocity of the projectile and consequently greater range and penetration. At the same time the force of the gas within the base B will flatten down the cone f, thereby closing the perfora tion made by the small cartridge-ball and will force the thin metal of the case B into the screw-threads b of the head A, whereby the two will be sufficiently united to enable the case B to be drawn out with the head A, the case B after the explosion being in the condition represented in Fig. 2. By detaching it from the head A a charged case can be substituted, and the whole will be ready for use as before. It will of course be understood that the head A will be kept with the gun and can be used repeatedly. By having two or more of them the case B can be applied to one while the other is in the gun, and thus be ready for insertion the'moment the exploded case is withdrawn. The metal cases B will also protect the chamber of the gun from injury by the heated gases and when withdrawn will leave the chamber clean and free from all debris or accretions of any kind ready for the instant insertion of another charge.

As the breech-closer A has its walls at the front made thin, so as to expand and form a gas-check, it will be seen that in case the sup ply of powder-cases should fail the gun can still be used by supplying powder put up in cloth sacks or bags, as has been customary for muzzle-loading guns, and this not unfrequently may prove of great importance.

lVhile I have shown a screw-thread as the means used for causing the case B to adhere to the head A, I do not wish to be understood as being limited to that, as it is obvious that other forms of projections or indentations may be used for locking the parts together by the pressure of the gas, care being taken not to make an opening in the walls of the breechcloser A through which the gas might escape by rupturing the case B.

I am aware that a cartridge has been made for small-arms in which a cap carrying the fulminate and provided with an oblong slot in its wall or side was made to fit over the rear portion of the cylinder which contained the powder.

I am also aware that cartridges for smallarms have been made with a re-enforce permanently secured to the rear end of the shell both internally and externally, and I make no claim to any such devices; but,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim is l. A breecl1-closer for ordnance, consisting of a plug, A, adapted to fit in the rear open end of the chamber of the gun, said plug having a concave chamber formed in its front end,

the front end of the walls of said chamber be ing made thin to enable it to expand and form a gas-cheek, and having on the inner face of said walls a screw-thread or equivalent indentations or projections, whereby said breechcloser is adapted to be used with or without a the metallic powder case, substantially as herein set forth.

2. A bi'eeclrcloser, A, substantially such as shown, having a concave chamber formed in its front end, the inner surface of the walls of said chamber being provided with a screwthread or equivalent project-ions or indentations, in combination with a separate or de tachable powder-case, B, having its rear end adapted to fit into said chamber, said parts being constructed substantially as described, whereby the powder-case is adapted to be filled and transported independently of the breech-closer, and both are adapted for joint use in the gun, as set forth.

8. Ametallicpowder-ease, B, provided with the concave cap 0, having an opening for inserting the powder, with a screw-cap or equivalent device for closing the same, and having its opposite end of a shape corresponding to l the form of the chamber in the front end of the separate breech-closer, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. A closed cartridge or powder case, B, for cannon, having its body corrugated to enable it to retain its form, as described, and provided with a concave cap, 0, at one end, whereby it can be set on end, handled,and transported, and be ready for insertion in the gun without further preparation, as set forth.

5. A metallic powder-case for use in cannon, provided at its front end with metallic cap 0, having a flange formed integral with the body of the cap for the purpose of serving as a gas-cheek in rear of the projectile when the charge is fired, substantially as described.

G. The combination, in a cartridge for 0rd nance, of the closed metallic powder-case B, a head or breech-closer, A, and a ball-cartridge, c, for puncturing the metallic case and igniting the charge, substantially as set forth.

7. In combination with a metallic p0wdercase, 13, provided at its front end with the flanged cap 0, the fibrous disk or wad D, secured to the inner face of said cap, substantially as shown and described.

THEODORE YATES.

Vitnesses:

ARTHUR E. DENISON, FRANK EUERLE. 

